


city sidewalks, busy sidewalks

by Hollstein1698



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, short and sweet, xmas fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 21:18:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5513633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hollstein1698/pseuds/Hollstein1698
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura's out Christmas shopping and ends up with more than what she had gone looking for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	city sidewalks, busy sidewalks

**Author's Note:**

> Just some short fluff for the holidays :)  
> Title from "Silver Bells."

Laura's eyes drifted aimlessly along the store fronts on her right, not really taking notice of any of the displays. She had been at this Holiday Shopping Adventure for what felt like an eternity, and all the stores were starting to blur together. 

She still had her best friend to buy for, and at this point, Laura felt at a loss. What exactly does one get an ex-girlfriend turned best friend for Christmas? Laura certainly didn't know. But she knew it should be personal, just not _too_ personal, and probably inexpensive--

"Oof!"

Laura had collided suddenly and roughly with someone, a someone who had been carrying a bag, and after the collision, its contents came spilling out. Laura was halfway into an apology when she took in what exactly had come tumbling out of the stranger's bag. 

"Oh my god, it's perfect!"

"Well, that's just rude," came the biting reply. 

Laura tore her gaze from The Perfect Gift that was lying on the floor to the stranger who it belonged to. And _holy Hufflepuff_ , what a face. 

"Um, uh, hi," Laura stammered out, a bit breathlessly. 

One of the other girl's perfectly arched eyebrows shot up, accentuating how annoyed she looked. 

"Oh." Laura shook her head and forced herself to come back down from cloud nine. "I'm really sorry for running into you, but that," Laura pointed to the contents of the stranger’s bag that was on the floor, "Is the answer to all my current problems, and I know I just ran into you and was pretty rude by not apologizing right away, and I am really sorry about that, but I was wondering if you could tell me where you found it?"

The vaguely annoyed indifference on the girl's face seemed to melt as she quirked the corner of her lip up in an amused smirk. It only made her better looking, Laura thought. 

"I'll do you one better, cutie," she said, and Laura automatically flushed at the nickname, "I'll show you."

"Oh," Laura said again. She really wasn't used to speaking to such incredibly good looking women who addressed her as 'cutie,' and it was stealing what little eloquence she had. "Um, yeah, sure, that would be uh, really nice of you." 

They stared at each other for a beat before Laura jumped a little, as though realizing something, and bent down to retrieve the fallen item. "Uh, here. Sorry, again."

"It’s alright," the girl answered, taking it from Laura and putting it back in its shopping bag. "I'm Carmilla. Have a name, cutie?"

"Laura." 

"Pleasure, Laura," Carmilla answered, smirk still in place. "It's not every day I almost get bowled over by adorably flustered girls."

Laura chuckled a little and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She didn't know what to say to that, so instead she said, "Well, bumping into you will have been a literal life saver if I can find myself one of those."

"Far be it for me to disappoint, then." Carmilla turned herself around and motioned for Laura to follow her. 

Laura fell into step with Carmilla's languid pace. It was such a contrast to the harried bustle of the holiday shoppers around them. 

"So, cupcake," Carmilla started, and Laura took note of the new nickname, "Who's this perfect gift for? Do you also have a gargantuan meat head best friend?"

"Oh, well, I wouldn't call her a meathead, but she is really tall and athletic," Laura admitted. "It's just, we're in this situation and I didn't have a clue what to get her, but those running shorts really are perfect. They’ve even got her favorite basketball team’s logo on it.”

"Situation?" Carmilla asked curiously. 

Laura briefly considered not talking about her personal life with a complete stranger (her father would have a cow at the very idea probably), but what harm could it do, really? It wasn't like she was giving this woman her street address. 

"Well, we're exes," Laura admitted. "This is our first Christmas as friends instead of girlfriends. And what exactly do I do in this situation, you know?"

Carmilla hummed noncommittedly. "Quite the pickle."

"Lucky for me I'm clumsy."

Carmilla shot her a small grin. "Indeed."

They spent the walk into the nearest sporting goods store discussing how alike Danny and Carmilla’s friend Kirsch were, and agreeing that they both could really care less about sports.

+++

"Thanks so much for your help." Laura beamed at Carmilla, now holding her last shopping bag of the holiday season. 

"It was my pleasure," Carmilla answered with a slow smile. 

Laura thought about waving a goodbye and taking her leave of this flirty, gorgeous, helpful stranger, but something in Carmilla's smile made her stop. 

"Would you maybe wanna go grab a coffee or something?" Laura asked hesitatingly. "On me. As a thank you."

"Why, cupcake," Carmilla chuckled. "I thought you'd never ask."

Laura rolled her eyes halfheartedly and gestured for Carmilla to walk out of the store before her. "Ladies first."

There was a coffee shop a few buildings down from the store they were in. Carmilla walked with one hand tucked away in her leather jacket, and the hand holding her bags occasionally bumped into Laura's. Laura apologized and Carmilla just smiled quietly. They exchanged a few simple pleasantries about the snowy weather and the annoyance of last minute holiday shopping before they reached the coffee place, and Carmilla opened the door for Laura to enter through. 

"What’s your order?" Laura asked as they joined the rather long line. 

"I'm not a huge coffee person," Carmilla admitted, but at Laura's frown she continued, "Hot chocolate though, works just fine."

Laura immediately beamed her excitement. "That's what I get! Well, the peppermint hot chocolate at this time of year."

"Just a regular hot chocolate for me," Carmilla chuckled. "I'm not exactly very festive."

"That would explain the last minute shopping then, huh?"

"Well, what would be your excuse, if you're so jolly about the holidays?"

"Finals."

Carmilla hummed understandingly, nodding her head once exaggeratingly slow.  

That led into a conversation about their majors and finals, and Laura learned that Carmilla was a year ahead of her and a grad student at the same university Laura attended. ("And working on your own finals while simultaneously grading a bunch of undergrad's papers is no cake walk, cutie.")

Laura ordered them both their hot chocolates when they reached the counter. Carmilla thanked Laura rather graciously when they were handed their orders, and they sat at a table by a window. 

Sipping their drinks in silence for a moment, Laura let her gaze drift outside, where it had started to snow again. 

"Beautiful."

"Hm?" Laura quickly turned her attention back to the girl sitting across from her. 

Carmilla's eyes flickered between Laura and the window, before settling on Laura with a soft smile. "You're beautiful."

Laura gripped her drink a little tighter, and tried to return Carmilla's smile as best she could without going beet red. "Thanks," she managed to utter softly. "You're, uh, not so bad looking yourself."

"Quite the charmer, huh, cupcake?" Carmilla chuckled lightly over the rim of her cup. 

"I never claimed to be," Laura responded, tilting her chin up slightly in defiance. "You're the one who's all knight and shining armor-y over there."

"Hardly," Carmilla rolled her eyes indulgently, smile still in place. 

They lapsed into silence again, Laura fidgeting with the paper from her straw, trying to avoid being caught when she would glance in Carmilla's direction, only to realize that Carmilla's intense gaze hadn't really left Laura's face. They smiled at each other and huffed out a laugh when Carmilla caught Laura's stare for the second time. 

"Okay, so, I don't do this usually. Like, ever," Laura started, "But would you, maybe, like to have dinner with me sometime? Maybe after the holidays or something."

"I think I'd like that very much," Carmilla admitted quietly. 

They shared a smile again before they each drained their hot chocolates. 

Laura was loath to leave, but a glance at her watch told her she was going to be late for dinner with her father. "So, uh, thanks again for your help, Carmilla," Laura said, giving the girl a shy smile. "I have to go though. Dinner with my dad."

"And I unfortunately have my own family function to be attending." Carmilla gave Laura another slight eye roll.

"Not big on the family stuff either?"

"They're alright, I suppose," Carmilla conceded. "My siblings are, at least."

"Well, I'd hate to make us both late."

They didn't move right away, still staring at each other with dopey looks on their faces, until Laura cleared her throat. They exchanged phone numbers, then headed towards the exit. 

They hovered in the doorway, neither wanting to leave. Laura was too busy admiring the curve of Carmilla's jaw to notice when Carmilla glanced upwards and smirked. 

"Look up, cupcake."

It took Laura a second, distracted as she was, to take in what Carmilla had said. Laura hummed in confusion, tilting her head up. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw mistletoe hanging above them. 

Carmilla laughed softly at the look on Laura's face, before she leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to Laura's cheek. 

"Have a Merry Christmas, Laura."

"You too," Laura squeaked. 

Still chuckling, Carmilla took her leave with a final, "I'll call you," tossed over her shoulder. 

Laura stood standing there in the doorway for a moment longer, until someone else entered the store and the cold that invaded her space snapped her out of her trance. She hurried out of the store and back into the cold, thinking this had probably been the best Christmas shopping experience of her young life. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Have a safe and happy holidays everyone!  
> As always, you can find me [on Tumblr.](http://hollstein1698.tumblr.com/)


End file.
